A transgender prisoner’s right to receive necessary medical treatment

On April 16, 2010, Fox News focused on a transgender prisoner who received a mammogram. Fox was apparently outraged that Michelle Kosilek, a transgender woman, underwent a routine health screening.

NCTE notes that prisoners are entitled to receive necessary medical care, no matter what the individual characteristics of the prisoner are. Additionally, Fox News’s story on Ms. Kosilek was a largely manufactured one that exploits old biases against transgender people. Every prisoner may obtain routine health screenings like a mammogram, especially if it is recommended by a physician. A transgender prisoner receiving appropriate medical care does not warrant media scrutiny.